Many users access information on the Internet using software applications known as web browser applications. Web browser applications interpret the various programming languages in which information on the Internet is written, such as hypertext markup language (HTML) or an extensible markup language (XML), to provide the information to users in a user-readable format.
Some web pages may include one or more fields requiring information to be entered by a user. For example, a web page through which a user can purchase a good or service may include one or more fields to be populated with data to identify the user and/or provide payment for the good. As another example, a web page through which a user can register for an event may include one or more fields to be populated to identify the user and/or a mailing address of the user.
Additional functionality may be added to web browsers by browser extension applications. A browser extension application is a software application made to be downloaded by a user and installed on the user's computing device to offer additional features to the browser. When the user accesses the Internet through a web browser application, the browser extension application may provide the user with additional functionality within the web browser application.
Some browser extension applications may be configured to automatically populate fields in a web page requiring population by a user. For example, a browser extension may be configured to automatically populate data identifying a user, providing payment, and/or providing a mailing address.
Due to the diversity of web pages, fields, and programming languages in which information on the Internet is written, however, typical browser extension applications may be unable to correctly identify fields requiring population in certain web pages. Moreover, as web pages are updated, fields may be changed, added, and/or removed from web pages. Typical browser extension applications may be unable to recognize and address such changes, additions, and removals.
When fields are incorrectly identified and/or populated by a browser extension application, subsequent correction by a user and/or the browser extension application may be required, resulting in inefficient communications, extra bandwidth consumption, and processor utilization. Moreover, for some web pages, such as dynamic web pages that actively communicate with a server providing the web page, such subsequent correction may result in inefficient communications, extra bandwidth consumption, and processor utilization on the server side as well, due to delays at the server caused by the corrections.